England v Brazil: Bridge building on offer for players and referees alike at St George’s Park

One of the many advantages of the family of English football gathering under
one huge roof, at St George’s Park, is that England players, senior and
under-21s, can mix with referees and assistant referees from PGMOL, who also
have a base there.

Good to talk: Mark Clattenburg is keen to referee at Chelsea againPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

One moment the players are being booked or dismissed by the officials, the next they are chatting in the gym.

Whether bumping into each other im the corridors of St George’s, even sharing bits of banter as some did on Monday, this simple social contact will inevitably strengthen relations.

Players might even learn more of the laws.

It is good to talk. On Monday, Chelsea players such as Frank Lampard, Gary Cahill and Ashley Cole were in the vicinity of Mark Clattenburg, who was falsely accused by their club of racially abusing John Obi Mikel last year.

It is not known whether England players conversed with Clattenburg yesterday but the opportunity is there for bridges to be built between Chelsea and the referee, leading to his resuming officiating their games again.